What a gull?? NW Poland 11.01.2024 (1 Viewer)

[Ryszard]

Hi
Request to identify a gull.
Photos from NW Poland 11.01.2024

Thanks

 

[Prestdj]

herring gull.......single white mark on p10 pale wing flash white rump

 

[Ryszard]

Thanks a lot! For prestiż, lou and Alexander

 

[Ryszard]

but here nothing is right for hg

 

[lou salomon]

can you explain your doubts, Ryszard?

 

[Ryszard]

I photographed the bird because it is visible and is completely different from the others. it has a dark back, a black beak and black on p5 and even on p4. it's just different, that's why I asked this question

 

[Ryszard]

;black bill;

 

[Ryszard]

White ramp is raither incommon for hg, popular for ybg

 

[Ryszard]

...for YLG

 

[lou salomon]

Ok. Ryszard, this is a 3rd cycle (3rd winter, 4cy) gull as seen by the broad white tips to secondaries and primaries. A 3rd cycle YLG doesn't show plain brown greater coverts and this extensive streaking on head. The bird also has two mirrors in each wingtip (including a p9 mirror), again not shown by 3c YLG. Bill colour is very variable although it's indeed not common in 3rd cycle HG to show an all or mostly dark bill. Almost all 3rd cycle HG have white rumps/uppertail feathers. A YLG usually shows just reminescences of black in tail, usually broken band with just some feathers with black tips or even doesn't show black in tail at all. This bird has a solid tail band as most 3c HG have.

 

[Ryszard]

thanks again lou. I included this seagull here for identification because it was unusual and I secretly hoped that it might be a seagull from, for example, the other side of the world.🌝 I just have to keep looking🌝